Mail receptacle



F. NIELSEN run. RECEITACLE Jan. 15, 1929. 1,699,156

Filed Oct. 14, 1927 2 Sheets-Shed 1 Inventor Franiz jlfilelsen Jan. 15, 1929.

F. NIELSEN NAIL RECEPTACLE Filed Oct. 14, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 15, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FBANTZ NIELSEN, OF AFTON, WYOMING.

MAIL n-nonr'mcnn.

Application filed October 14, 1927. Serial 1%. 226,120.

which is buoyant so that it may be used to advantage with trans-ocean service planes for the purpose of preventing the loss of the mail should the aeroplane sink in the water.

Another important object of the invention resides in the provision of .a mail container of this nature which comprises two compartments, one to contain the mail and the other to contain air or gas to impart the necessary buoyancy to the container.

Another important object of the mvention resides in the provision of a container of this nature which is water-tight, strong and durable, simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, thoroughly eificient and reliable in use. and otherwise well adapted to the purpose for which it is designed.

With the above and numerous other objects in view as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides 1n certain novel features of construction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a perspective view of an aeroplane showing my improved mail container mounted therein,

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail section taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 4,

Figure 4 is a vertical section taken through the container showing the upper end thereof in elevation,

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail section showing a keel construction which may be used if desired.

Referring to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the numeral 5 denotes the fusilage of an aeroplane which is provided at its top with an opening 6 around which rises a flange 7. My improved container comprises a lower cylindrical port-ion 8 with a. bottom 9 and an open reduced top portlon 10 which is externally threaded above the shoulder 11 thus formed. A gasket 12 of suitable material is rested on the shoulder 11. The upper portion of the container is denoted by the numeral 14 and is cylindrical and has a bottom 15 resting on a asket 16 which in turn rests on the upper edge of the reduced top portion 11 of the lower portion of the container 8. An internally threaded annular flange 17 depends from the upper portion 14 to threadedly engage with the externally threaded portion 10 so that it may be engaged in water-tight relationship therewith, A dome-like top 18 is formed on the upper portion 14 andhas a reinforced open mg 19 in the center thereof and at the edge thereof is provided with an annular flange 20 adapted to receive therein the flange 7 when the container is inserted through the opening 16 in the aeroplane thereby pfeventmg water from leaking into the fuselage of the aeroplane as will be quite apparent.

A valve casing 21 is threaded in the lower portion of the reinforced opening 19 and has the intermediate portion of its passage restricted to form a valve seat 21 against which normally seats a ball-valve 22 by means of a spring 23 held at a desired tension by means of a plug 24 threaded in the bottom end of i the casing 20. The external diameter of this casing is decreased intermediate its ends so as to form a shoulder so that a gasket 25 may be held tightly in engagement with a similar shoulder in the opening 19 when the casing is threadedly engaged therein. The upper end of the reduced portion of the bore of the casing is threaded so that a pump or like compressed air or gas supply means may be attached thereto as indicated at 26. A

cap 27 is threaded in the upper end of the opening and a gasket 28 is held in place thergby through the top flange of the cap as at 2 By referring to Figure 5 it will be seen that the upper portion 10 may be provided with an interiorly directed annular flange 32 on which may be rested an annulus 33 L- shaped in cross section having the upright portion thereof provided with a groove 34 to receive the edge of a disc 35 of canvas, or any other suitable or flexible material for spanning the top of the lower portion 8. Sealing material 35 may be provided on the horizontal portion of the annulus 33 so as to prevent the opening thereof without detection by pressing a suitable seal in this material 35 as will be quite apparent.

lVit-h this construction it will be seen that a buoyant container is provided when the upper compartment 14 thereof is filled with compressed air, gas, or the like so that if the aeroplane should sink, this container will stay on top of the water and may be rescued with the lllflilCOlliPtlllGd in the lower coinpartment 8 in a safe condition. I

It is thought that the construction, utility, and advantages of the invention will now be quite apparent to those skilled in this art without more detailed description thereof. The present embodiment of the invention has been disclosed in detail merely by way of example since in actual practice it attains the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the state ent of the invention and the above description,

It will be apparent that changes in the details of construction, and in the combination and arrangement ot parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed or sacriticing any of its advantages.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim new is l. A device of the class described co1nprising a lower container including a cylindrical wall with a bottom and reduced top open portion externally threaded to provide a shoulder, an upper container comprising an annular depending internal flange to engage the upper external portion ot the lower container, a dome shaped top across the upper container, said top being provided with a reinforced opening, a check valve mounted in said reinforced opening, and a cap threadedly engaged in said reinforced opening.

1,699,156 a y a 2. A device of the class described comprising a lower container including a cylindrical wall with a bottom and a reduced top open portion externally threaded to provide a shoulder, an upper container comprising an annular depending internal flange to engage the upper external portion of the lower container, a dome shaped top across the upper container, said top being provided with a reinforced opening, a check valve mounted in said reinforced opening, a cap threadedly engaged in said reinforced opening, and an an nnlar depending skirt-like flange about the dome-shaped top.

A. device or the class described comprising a-lower container including a cylindrical wall with a bottom and a reduced top open portion externally threaded to provide a shoulder, an upper container comprising an annular depending internal flange to engage the upper external portion of the lower container, a do1ne-shaped top across the upper container, said top being provided with a reinforced opening. a check valve mounted in said reinforced opening, a cap threadedly engaged in said reint'orcedopening, an annular depending shirt-like tliange about the domeshaped top, and gaskets between the upper and 'lovvc r containers.

In testimony whereof I my signature.

FRANTZ NIELSEN. 

